Fund news in brief

Access Capital Partners has closed Access Capital Fund VI Growth Buy-out Europe, securing 190 million euros ($258 million) towards its 400 million euro target. ACF VI aims at creating a portfolio of around 15 primary commitments and opportunistic secondary investments in European smaller buyout funds.

Actis has closed its Actis Energy III with total commitments of $1.15 billion, beating its $750 million target. Actis attracted commitments from existing investors, and added some new limited partners including public pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and family offices from North America, Europe and Asia. FIRSTAvenue worked as placement agent for the fund. The energy team has already deployed $560 million from the fund.

A new firm called Birch Equity Partners has launched headquartered in Atlanta, to focus on investing in established expansion-stage businesses. The firm was formed by Holcombe Green Jr., Vincent Oddo and R. Kirby Godsey.

China-focused buyout firm Boyu Capital, whose partners include former TPG Capital executive Mary Ma and the grandson of former Chinese president Jiang Zemin, has raised $1.5 billion for its second fund, people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

Capvis Equity Partners has closed Capvis Equity IV with capital commitments of 720 million euros ($979 million). The fund was oversubscribed, exceeding its target of 600 million euros and reaching its hard cap.

The Carlyle Group has raised more than 500 million euros ($680 million) in the third close of its fourth European fund, According to LBO Wire. The target is reportedly about three billion euros.

F2i’s second fund has raised 30 million euros ($41 million) from investment firm Ardian. Based in Italy, F2i specializes in strategic infrastructure investments.

GrowthCap has launched a private equity deal platform where established private companies can raise growth capital from institutional investors and family offices. The platform opens with over $50 million of live deals in market. The firm was founded by R.J. Lumba, who made his career raising more than $2 billion for private companies while working for leading investment banks and economic development firms.

Monroe Capital has closed Monroe Capital Senior Secured Direct Loan Fund LP, a $500 million leveraged loan fund that will invest in senior debt transactions originated and underwritten by Monroe Capital LLC. The fund closed above its $400 million target.

French private equity firm PAI Partners has raised nearly half of its planned 3 billion euro ($4.1 billion) buyout fund after 10 months on the road, Reuters reported. It is PAI’s first fundraising since a boardroom struggle in 2009 pushed out top management in favor of Lionel Zinsou, the former Rothschild banker who currently heads the buyout firm.

Palladium Equity’s Fund IV has surpassed its $800 million target and will likely eye its $1 billion hard cap, a person with knowledge of the firm told peHUB.

Pomona Capital has collected about $1.4 billion, surpassing its $1.3 billion target, for its eighth vehicle, peHUB reported. Fundraising could wrap up this quarter.

Ridgewood Energy has closed its Ridgewood Energy Oil and Gas Fund II at its hard cap of $1.1 billion, raising capital from 39 institutional investors. The original target on Fund II was $750 million. The investment vehicle will focus on exploration and production of oil projects in the U.S. deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Eaton Partners worked as placement agent on the fund.

SHS Gesellschaft für Beteiligungsmanagement has announced the first closing of its fund SHS IV. SHS focuses its investment on high-growth medical technology companies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland with marketable products and technologies.

Greenwich, Connecticut-based investment firm Starwood Energy Group has raised $983 million for its second energy infrastructure fund. The pool will invest in invest in wind, solar, natural gas and other power generation and high-voltage transmission assets primarily in North America. Its LPs include sovereign funds, pension plans, funds of funds and insurance companies.